Pharmacognostical and Preliminary Physico-Chemical Profiles of Blepharispermum Subsessile DC

AYU Access this article online Website: www.ayujournal.org DOI: 10.4103/0974-8520.169012 Pharmaceutical Standardization Quick Response Code: Pharmacognostical and preliminary physico-chemical profiles of Blepharispermum subsessile DC. root

Amruta Jadhav, Rabinarayan Acharya, Harisha C.R.1, Vinay J. Shukla2, Harimohan Chandola3 Department of Dravyaguna, 1Pharmacognosy Laboratory, 2Pharmaceutical Chemistry Laboratory, 3Department of Kayachikitsa, Institute for Post Graduate Teaching and Research in Ayurveda, Gujarat Ayurved University, Jamnagar, Gujarat, India

Abstract

Introduction: Blepharispermum subsessile DC. is a folklore medicinal herb, found in Odisha, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra. It is locally known as Rasnajhadi in Odisha and its roots are being used as Rasna in treating rheumatic, gynecological, nervous disorders. In spite of its high medicinal as well as market values, the pharmacognostical characters of its root is not reported till date. Aim: To evaluate pharmacognostical and preliminary physico-chemical profiles of B. subsessile root. Materials and Methods: Roots of B. subsessile were collected from Odisha; its macroscopic, microscopic, powder characters and preliminary physico- chemical characters were studied following standard procedures. Results: Microscopically, outer multilayered lignified cork cells, cortex, border pitted xylem vessels, tracheids, isolated or groups of thick‑walled xylem fibees were seen. Physico-chemical parameters showed that water soluble extractive value (31.3%) is more than alcohol soluble extractive value (23.2%) and 5.5 pH value, etc. Conclusion: The findings of the study will be useful in the identification and standardization of the B. subsessile root. Key words: Asteraceae, Blepharispermum subsessile DC., ethnomedicine, pharmacognosy, Rasna, root

Introduction present study planned to evaluate pharmacognostical profiles of its root, which includes macroscopic, microscopic characters, India has rich floristic and ethnic diversity. Blepharispermum and preliminary physico-chemical analysis. subsessile DC., an extra pharmacopeial folklore medicinal plant, is a “Healing herb,” known and marketed as Rasnajhadi Materials and Methods in Odisha, is more frequent in the forests, north of Indravati river of Bastar District, distributed in Madhya Pradesh, Collection and authentification Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Odisha. An ethno botanical study Rasnajhadi, growing in Gurudongmar medicinal plants reports the uses of its root in the management of various conservation area of Nuapada district of Odisha, India, was diseases. Socio‑religious customs of Bastar region, i.e. Raj identified as B. subsessile DC. belonging to Asteraceae family Gondas, Murias, Bhatra, uses decoction of Rasnajhadi, on on the basis of its morphological characters, comparing with the 3rd day of menstruation and after delivery.[1] Decoction as reported characters mentioned in Flora of Orissa,[12] and with the well as powder of root is used in nervous disorders,[2] whole help of local taxonomist. The fresh plant sample was collected plant is used in Krimiroga (worms), Atisara (diarrhea) and from its natural habitat during October 2011 and has been Udarshula (stomach‑ache),[3] rheumatic affections,[4,5] diarrhea,[6] skin diseases,[7] eye troubles, back ache due to rheumatism,[8] and irregular menstruation.[9] The pharmacognostical characters [10] [11] This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative of its leaf and stem have been reported. In spite of its Commons Attribution‑NonCommercial‑ShareAlike 3.0 License, which allows high medicinal as well as market value, the pharmacognostical others to remix, tweak, and build upon the work non‑commercially, as long as the characters of its root is not reported till date. Hence, the author is credited and the new creations are licensed under the identical terms.

For reprints contact: [email protected] Address for correspondence: Prof. Rabinarayan Acharya, Dept. of Dravyaguna, IPGT and RA, Gujarat Ayurved How to cite this article: Jadhav A, Acharya R, Harisha CR, Shukla VJ, University, Jamnagar - 361 008, Gujarat, India. Chandola H. Pharmacognostical and preliminary physico-chemical profiles E‑mail: [email protected] of Blepharispermum subsessile DC. root. Ayu 2015;36:73-6.

© 2015 AYU (An International Quarterly Journal of Research in Ayurveda) | 73 Official publication of Institute For Post Graduate Teaching & Research in Ayurveda,Jamnagar | Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow Jadhav, et al.: Pharmacognostical evaluation of Blepharispermum subsessile DC. root preserved with voucher specimen (no. 37325) in pharmacognosy fibres. Inner toward the center, band of xylem forming ring along laboratory. The collected plant samples were shaken to remove with parenchyma and some fibers followed by band of phloem adherent soil and dirt. The roots were separated from the stem, leads into anomalous growth, leaving centrally some parenchyma washed under running fresh water. Few pieces were stored in the cells heavily filled with tannin material [Figures 2 and 3]. solution of alcohol: acetic acid: formalin in the ratio of (90:5:5)[13] to utilize them for microscopic studies. Remaining roots were Powder microscopy washed, shade dried, powdered, passed through mesh no. 80, and Organoleptic characters of powder show brownish black color, preserved in an air‑tight glass container and utilized for powder aromatic odor, oily and bitter taste, and rough touch. microscopy and preliminary physico-chemical analysis. Pharmacognostic studies Morphological characters were studied by observing the root as such and with the help of dissecting microscope. For detailed microscopical observation, free‑hand thin transverse sections (TS) were taken, cleared with chloral hydrate, and observed for the presence of any crystals. Then, these sections were stained with phloroglucinol and conc. hydrochloric acid to notice lignified elements such as fibres and vessels.[14] Photographs of the sections were taken with the help of Canon digital camera attached to Carl Zeiss trinocular microscope. Powder characters Figure 1: Blepharispermum subsessile plant in natural habitat and roots were observed with above mentioned methods. Physico-chemical evaluation The dried sample of the root was used for the preliminary physico-chemical investigations by the standard procedure adopted from Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (API).[15]

Results and Discussion a Macroscopic examination Drug consist of cylindrical unbranched straight or slightly bent or tortuous pieces of roots, 2.5–5.5 cm in length and 0.3–0.5 cm in diameter, longitudinally ridged, wrinkled and fissured, show few transversely running lenticels, transversely cracked at places exfoliated exhibiting the inner narrow yellow wood. Fracture is short, externally earthy brown in color, internally yellowish. Some pieces show the crown with cluster of aerial b stem arising from its upper surface and roots from the lower Figure 2: Transverse section of root, (a) ck: Cork, cx: Cortex, surface [Figure 1]. t: Tannin, oxy: Outer xylum, ixp: Interxylary phloem, cxy: Central xylem with fibres; (b) ck: Cork, pf: Pericyclic fibres, ph: Phloem, Microscopic examination mr: Medullary rays Diagrammatic TS of the root is circular in outline with irregular margins, show outer cork, cortex and phloem, xylem abruptly interpreted with phloem, and makes second layer of xylem towards the center. Detailed TS shows, outermost cork cells which are dark brown, suberized, compressed, and running irregularly; middle cork cells lying underneath, these are lignified, 3–4 layered, and square; innermost cork cells consist of narrow suberized cells which are compressed and running tangentially. Cortex is a b narrow, parenchymatous, and embedded at places with simple starch grains. Phloem consisting of 7–10 rows, consisting of phloem parenchyma, sieve tubes and companion cells, traversed with isolated lignified thin walled stone cells, and oil cells embedded with yellowish brown coloring matter. At places, phloem penetrates inside the xylem and embedded with isolated thick‑walled fibres. Xylem is wide consisting of xylem vessels, which are isolated or in group, medullary rays are c d multiseriate, getting wider at places, and occasionally shows cleft Figure 3: Transverse section in enlarged view (a) cork in surface in them. Patches of interxylary phloem and intervascular pits are view, (b) central xylem with xylem and phloem, (c) xylem with traversing throughout the xylem and are embedded with isolated parenchyma and fibres, (d) tannin‑containing cells

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a b c

d e f Figure 4: Powder microscopic characters of root (a) cork in surface view, (b) border pitted xylem vessel, (c) tannin, (d) pitted sclereids, (e) prismatic crystal, (f) coloring matter

with phloem, interxylary phloem, border pitted xylem vessels, Table 1: Preliminary physico-chemical analysis of intervascular pits, multiseriate medullary rays, tracheids, Blepharispermum subsessile root prismatic crystals, and tannin. The results of pharmacognostical Parameters B. subsessile and physico-chemical parameters can be considered as reference root standards in the further studies. Foreign matter Nil Loss on drying (% w/w) 6.65 Acknowledgments Total ash content (% w/w) 4.05 The authors are thankful to Mr. B. N. Hota, Rtd. DFO, Govt. Acid insoluble ash (% w/w) 0.5 of Odisha; Mr. Pareswar Sahoo, Pharmacognosy expert, SSN Water soluble extractive value (% w/w) 31.3 Ayurved College, Paikmal; Dhala Bhai, Plant Collector; Mr. Alcohol soluble extractive value (% w/w) 23.2 Malaya Das, Forest Range Officer, Govt. of Odisha and other traditional healer who helped us during drug collection at Petroleum ether soluble extractive value (% w/w) 6.11 Nuapada and Gandhamardan Hills, Bargarh, Odisha. pH in 5% aqueous solution 5.5 B. subsessile: Blepharispermum subsessile Financial support and sponsorship IPGT and RA, Gujarat Ayurved University, Jamnagar, Gujarat, The diagnostic characters of B. subsessile root powder shows, India. multilayered lignified cork cells in surface view, cork in transversely cut view, phloem parenchymatous cells embedded Conflicts of interest with fibres, longitudinally cut fragments of border pitted xylem There are no conflicts of interest. vessels and tracheids, radially cut medullary rays crossing the xylem vessels, tracheids and isolated or groups of thick‑walled References xylem fibers, prismatic crystals, and tannin content [Figure 4]. 1. Hemadri K, Sharma RC, Rao S. Glimpses of Medico‑Botany of Bastar Preliminary physico-chemical analysis District (M.P.). New Delhi: CCRAS, Ministry of Health and Family Physico-chemical parameters of B. subsessile root showed total Welfare, Govt. of India; 1990. p. 21‑3. ash (4.05%), acid insoluble ash (0.5%), water soluble extractive 2. Jain SK. Medicinal plant lore of the tribals of Bastar. Econ Bot value (31.3%) more than alcohol soluble extractive value 1965;19:236‑50. (23.2%), and acidic pH 5.5 [Table 1]. 3. Hemadri K, Sharma RC, Rao S. Glimpses of Medico‑Botany of Bastar District (M.P.). New Delhi: CCRAS, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India; 1990. p. 100, 121. Conclusion 4. Khare CP. Indian Medicinal Plants. 1st ed. New Delhi: Springer (India) Pvt. Ltd.; 2007. p. 94. Diagnostic characters of root of B. subsessile DC. showed outer 5. Hemadri K, Sharma PC, Narayaanaappa D, Rao SS, Murthy KS. multilayered lignified cork cells, xylem abruptly interpreted Medico‑Botanical Exploration of Phulabani and Koraput Districts of

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Orissa. Folklore Claims. New Delhi: CCRAS, Ministry of Health and Res Med Plants and Indigen Med 2013;2:165-71. Family Welfare, Govt. of India; 1996. p. 115. 11. Jadav A, Acharya RN, Chandola HM, Harisha CR. Development of 6. Dash SK, Padhy S. Review on ethnomedicines for diarrhoea diseases Random Amplified polymorphic DNA markers for authentification from Orissa: Prevalence versus culture. J Hum Ecol 2006;20:59‑64. of Blepharospermum subsessile DC. Ayurpharm Int J Ayur Alli Sci 7. Arunachalam S. Science on the Periphery Enriches Mainstream Science, 2013;2:41-7. but at What Cost? The Case of Ethnobotany. Vol. 6. Karai Kudi (India): 12. Saxena HO, Brahmam M. The Flora of Orissa. Vol. 2. Bhubaneswar: RRL, Central Electrochemical Research Institute; 1996. p. 42. Orissa Forest Development Corporation Ltd.; 1990. p. 897. 8. Prusti AB, Behera KK. Ethno‑medico botanical study of Sundargarh 13. Donald JA. Plant Micro Technique. 1st ed. New York, London: District, Orissa, India. Ethnobotanical Leafl 2007;11:148‑63. Maegrous‑Hill Book Company; 1940. p. 105. 9. Shukla R, Chakravarty M, Gautam MP. Indigenous medicine used for 14. Khandelwal KR. Practical Pharmacognosy: Techniques and Experiments. treatment of gynecological disorders by tribal of Chhattisgarh, India. 19th ed. Pune: Nirali Prakashan; 2008. p. 15‑8. J Med Plants Res 2008;2:356‑60. 15. Anonymous. The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, Part‑I. Appendix 2. 10. Jadav A, Acharya RN, Chandola HM, Harisha CR. Pharmacognostical 1st ed. New Delhi: Govt. of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; evaluation of leaf of Blepharospermum subsessile DC (Asteraceae). Global J 1999. p. 142‑46.

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